A Place to Call Home (can be Hard to Find)
by Daughter of Christ 4ever
Summary: Loki visited Midgard when he was a child, and a chance meeting with a man for whom time stands still would change everything.
1. Chapter 1

Loki was starting to get bored, and a trip to Midgard was starting to look more favorable as each day passed. The nobles of Asgard gossiped about him when his parents (mother) weren't present, and he was tired of it all. Sighing, the youngest prince ( _last to inherit the throne_ , a little voice mocked him) went to his rooms, and murmured, "How would I get to Midgard, though? I am under constant watch, ever since my fits started getting worse."

Then, he remembered his mother telling him about a way to get to the other Realms without alerting Heimdall, and he smiled. _Soon,_ he promised himself, _I will use the Secret Paths, and go to Midgard._

Several months passed, and finally, Loki was ready. He had asked the seamstresses for a simple tunic, and even though they thought it an odd request, they presented it to him a few days ago. He had thanked them by name, and needless to say, they were shocked; with the exception of Frigga, none of the Royals thanked them; and certainly not by name! Donning the tunic, the young Trickster smiled; he was going to be on his way to Midgard. However, as he prepared to open the Pathway to Midgard, he felt his wards start to part. _NO!_ He thought, eyes widening. Breathing in, Loki jumped through, unaware of his mother's whisper of, "Be safe, my son, and return home."

The boy was young, Merlin noticed.

"Arthur," he called out, drawing the King's attention.

"Yes, Merlin?" the blond asked, and Merlin called, "There's a boy here. He's unconscious; we should take him to Gaius."

"Couldn't you heal him with your magic?" Arthur asked the Court Sorcerer, who flushed, and then lightly placed his hand over the boy's chest, murmuring spells under his breath, his eyes flashing gold as he did so.

"Odd," he muttered when he pulled his hands away, "he's not injured."

"What?"

"He's not injured, but he's definitely got magic. Nearly depleted all of it, too." Merlin reported, and Arthur whirled around, barking orders to the knights who had come with them.

"We're heading back to Camelot," Arthur stated as Percival picked the boy up in her arms. Arthur had been furious when he had found out the truth, but had, eventually with Merlin persuading him, allowed the woman to stay as a knight. But, Merlin shoved back the memories, focusing on the boy. He had literally fallen from the sky, wearing a simple tunic, but Merlin had clearly heard the Old Religion whisper, _This one is important. Help him._

The boy stirred when they made camp for the night, emerald green eyes simmering with confusion as he looked around. Percival and Lancelot were nearby the boy, and the man asked, "Who are you?"

"I… I don't know." The boy stammered, his eyes widening.

"Hmm…" the only female knight murmured, "You need a name, young one."

The boy was silent for a minute, and then he muttered, "I know my name starts with an L, if that helps."

"What do you think about Liam?" Lancelot asked, and the boy frowned for a minute, before nodding, "Liam. Until I learn my real name, it will do."

Merlin came over, and sat down near the boy. Percival and Lancelot politely moving away to give the two space.

"Liam, were you aware that you have magic?" Merlin questioned, and the boy glanced at him, eyes wide with fear.

"Isn't magic banned?" he whispered, and Merlin shook his head, saying, "Not anymore. Arthur undid his father's decree. I'm Merlin, Camelot's Court Sorcerer, and Arthur's manservant."

As time went on, Liam began to remember, and one day, he came into Merlin's chambers, a slight frown on his face.

"What's wrong, Liam?" Merlin asked, having gotten used to the young man's way of expressing his moods.

"I… I remember my real name," the now twelve-year old muttered, and Merlin raised an eyebrow.

"Isn't that a good thing?" he questioned, and Liam shook his head, sinking into a chair. "Liam? What is your real name?"

"Loki," came the muttered response, "Loki, fourth in line for the throne of Asgard. But, I'm never going to rule, so I decided to travel the Realms. "

"Are you going to return?"

Liam – **Loki** \- looked up, and shook his head. "Not yet. You've told me about the Great Dragon…. Is it possible that I could meet him before I return?"

Merlin's eyes sparkled with mirth as he replied, "Of course. Come, it is a several days' ride from here."

Merlin could only laugh as his apprentice acted like a week-old hatchling in front of the two dragons in front of them. They had arrived earlier that day, and were greeted by Freya, who led them over to the two dragons. To Merlin's great confusion, his apprentice bowed to the Great Dragon and the white dragon, who asked, "You… are not repulsed by my appearance?"

That was when Loki started acting like a hatchling. Merlin's lips twitched in amusement, but before the warlock could say anything, the Great Dragon rumbled, "Hatchling, enough."

"HATCHLING?!" the young sorcerer cried, and Kilgharrah rumbled, "You are Tanlos, hatchling. Now, stop acting like you are a week old."

"Tanlos?" Merlin heard the boy murmur, "the name fits somehow."

Loki stayed, despite the fact that he claimed that he wanted to return to Asgard, and Merlin woke up to see a small black dragon sitting at the foot of his bed on Loki's thirteenth birthday.

"Loki?" he asked, crouching down so he could get a good look at his apprentice. The dragon nodded, and Merlin stood with a sigh of, "I've got to explain this to Arthur somehow."

"What do you have to explain to the princess?" the familiar voice of Gwaine questioned, and Merlin called, "Oh, come in, why don't you?"

Loki vanished three months after his thirteenth birthday. The only clue as to where he went was a letter that was sitting on Merlin's table. He hadn't noticed it until he came back from searching for his apprentice that night, and when he did, his heart sank. The letter was brief, but Merlin still felt tears run down his cheeks as he read.

 _Myrddin,_

 _I am sorry to say that by the time you will read this, I will be back in Asgard. I have enjoyed my time with you, but I received a vision last night that troubled me. As you know, I am the fourth in line for the throne of Asgard, preceded by my brothers, Thor, Hodur, and Baldur; Baldur being the first in line. Anyways, last night, I saw Hodur and Baldur dying, and have returned to Asgard._

 _I wish you the best. Thank you for teaching me,_

 _Loki_

Merlin would meet Loki again, that much he knew. But when and how; he didn't know. He could only watch as time passed on; watch and pray that his apprentice was safe. Then, he felt the Old Religion stirring, drawing him into the Second World War, and into the lives of two people he had Seen in the crystal cave shortly after Loki returned to Asgard…


	2. Chapter 2

The year was 1942, and Merlin was starting to feel the Old Religion stir again. He was drawn to an encampment, and to his shock, saw his old apprentice.

"Liam?" he asked, the name slipping easily from his lips. The boy's head snapped to him, and his mouth opened, before he gasped out, "M… Merlin?"

"It's me," the immortal confirmed, and then the next thing he knew, the younger boy was holding him in a tight embrace.

"You're really here," the boy gasped, "Why are you here? Where's Arthur?"

"Blade?" an unfamiliar voice called, and right after Loki sprang free from the embrace, a blond man ( _not Arthur, not Arthur_ ) came into Merlin's view. The man studied Merlin for a minute, and asked, "Blade, who is this guy?"

"Um…" Merlin had never seen Loki at a loss for words; it was sort of amusing to the warlock. He chuckled, and the man looked at him.

"Ah, I'm sorry, friend, but I was lost, and came across your camp." Merlin replied, the words falling from his mouth.

"Do I know you?" the man asked with a confused tilt of his head, and Merlin somehow managed to grin, "My mistake. I call everyone I meet friend."

"Hmm. Well, come with me," the man ordered, and Loki asked, "Captain?"

"Yes, Blade?"

"If he's a good fighter, can he join us?"

Merlin did end up joining the group known as the Howling Commandoes. One of the first things he noticed was that Loki had picked up a new nervous habit, and pulled him aside to talk to him about it.

"Blade," he called out, and his apprentice's head shot up from where he was cleaning his weapons.

"Y… Yes?" that was odd; Loki had never stammered since the first day they met.

"Are you alright?" Merlin asked, and Loki looked confused.

"I'm fine," he said, "why?"

"You're rubbing your wrist," Merlin gently pointed out, and the boy stiffened, before attempting to lie, "It's fine."

However, it was clear that Merlin didn't believe him, and before Loki could even react, the other man's hand shot out, and grabbed his wrist. Turning it over, Merlin stared at the tattoo for a minute, and then hissed, "Who did this to you?"

"I… it was my fault," Loki stammered, and Merlin looked at the younger man, his eyes flaming.

"Loki…" he sighed, "I'm not angry at you. I just want to know who marked you."

Loki refused to tell him, but if Merlin was more violent in the next battle, no one said a word about it.

However, he ended up using his magic to shove one of the enemies away from Captain America during one of the many battles against Hydra, and the Commandoes kept staring at him for the next few days.

"What?" he finally snapped a few days after the incident. Bucky Barnes smirked, "So, I think I figured out a name for you."

"What is it?"

"Magic," Bucky replied, and saw the other man stiffen, before hastily excusing himself. He bolted past Peggy Carter, Natalia, and a female Loki, the sometimes- female calling, "Matthew? Are you-?"

Loki found his mentor in a nearby clearing, his back facing away from the teen. Stepping over to the other man, Loki asked, "Merlin?"

"Magic," Merlin chocked out, "He called me Magic."

"Oh." Loki understood what was going on, and didn't say another word.

"Magic is nothing without Strength and Courage," the blue-eyed man muttered, his eyes haunted. The two sat in silence until Steve came looking for them, asking, "Hey, you two alright?"

"Yes," Merlin lied, a sad smile crossing his face. Steve noticed, and made a note to talk to the man later. However, when the three returned to camp, Matthew was pulled aside by Bucky, who asked him something quietly. The other man shook his head, and said something in reply.

It was only a few short months later that Bucky fell off of the train. Steve tried to get drunk, but was dragged out of the pub by Peggy Carter. Then came the attack on Red Skull's last base. The night before, Merlin tossed and turned, trying to fall asleep, but he couldn't. Finally, he got up with a soft sigh, and silently slipped out of the tent.

"Merlin?" Loki whispered when he saw the older man join him on his rounds.

"Liam," the old name fell from his mouth, and Loki asked, "Can't sleep?"

"No," the warlock confirmed, "I have the feeling that something's going to happen tomorrow."

"Do you know what?" the Asgardian questioned, his green eyes flashing with concern.

"No, I don't. And that worries me," the immortal sighed, and the other man muttered, "That is troubling."

Merlin slipped into the shadows as soon as the battle was over. His work was done; now all he had to do was wait until the next time the Old Religion stirred.

"Master?" Loki called out, and sighed when no answer came. Glancing up at the clear sky, the young man breathed in, but as he opened his mouth, he heard Merlin say, "I'm not letting you leave without saying goodbye, hatchling."

"Where will you go?" Loki asked, trying to delay his departure.

"Avalon," came the response, "and after that, I'll travel. Our paths may cross again, Liam."

"Goodbye, Master," Loki whispered, and called to the heavens, "Heimdall, open the Bifrost!"


End file.
